OTTAWA, Canada: The Canadian government has alleged that India’s Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, a close ally of Hindu nationalist PM Narendra Modi, was behind the plots to target Sikh leaders on Canadian land.
Canadian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison disclosed to a parliamentary panel that Shah, a close ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was behind an intimidation campaign against the Sikh diaspora advocating for a separate Sikh state, Canadian press reported.
The Washington Post had earlier reported over the matter, which Morrison confirmed, although no further details were provided.
This development marks an escalation in diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, following earlier disclosure by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Indian operatives were involved in the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a leader of the Sikh separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), accused the Indian government of operating a covert spy network in North America. He urged the Canadian and U.S. governments to take stringent action against India, including shutting down its consulates. Pannun asserted that allowing India’s alleged interference compromises the sovereignty of both nations and infringes upon the freedoms of Sikh activists advocating for Khalistan, a proposed Sikh homeland.
This dispute adds to existing India-Canada tensions, rooted in Canada’s concerns over foreign interference and alleged activities targeting the Sikh diaspora on Canadian soil.
